There was no way Max Holloway was going to turn down a chance to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 223 — even on short notice.
The Las Vegas-based promotion announced on Sunday that Holloway, the reigning featherweight champion, would replace the injured Tony Ferguson in the new UFC 223 main event. According to UFC President Dana White, the bout will be for the “official” lightweight title, although there still has been no word of Conor McGregor being stripped.
"April Fools! Nah, I'm just joking. The news was crazy,” Holloway told Hawaiian station KHON2.